Fern's Home
Fern rolled onto her back and stared into the eyes of Alderclaw. "Just kill me," Fern hissed. "I have nothing left to live for anyways." Alderclaw blinked, and at once Fern saw the grief seared in her green eyes. "I would never kill my own kit," Alderclaw murmured. She released Fern and stepped back. "You may have betrayed our Clan, but I could never kill you. The rogues treated you better than we did." She hung her dark brown head. "I've let you down. We all did." Fern scrambled to her paws. She felt grief tearing at her heart. "Take care of Cloudpelt,"she meowed, rubbing a streak of blood from her muzzle. "Goodbye." With those parting words, Fern padded away. Chapter One "I, Perchstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Brackenpaw, Fernpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" "I do," Fernpaw meowed, her voice strong. "I do," Brackenpaw echoed. "Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brackenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Brackenpelt. StarClan honors your bravery and warmth, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Perchstar rested his chin on Brackenpelt's head, and Brackenpelt licked his shoulder. He turned to Fernpaw. "Wait," Fernpaw breathed softly. "If it is alright with you, I would like to be known as Fern. Just Fern. I promise you that I will serve you and RiverClan, just as any warrior would. But I've always loved the simplicity of ferns and the name, and I see no reason that I shouldn't be called just that." Perchstar tipped his head, looking thoughtful. "It's tradition!" called Owlcry, his eyes narrowed. Poolpaw and Pikepaw talked, heads close together, and shot looks of undisguised hostility at her. Fern's belly tightened. Had she been wrong to refuse a warrior name? Perchstar cleared his throat. "You speak thoughtfully and from your heart. For that reason, you shall be known as Fern. StarClan honors your cleverness and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." "Brackenpelt! Fern!" the RiverClan cats cheered, Alderclaw most of all. The fox-colored she-cat's eyes were shining with pride. Her mate, Patchwing, cheered beside her. Fern raised her head, letting the yowls of congratulation sink into her fur, warming her pelt. Lynxpaw, a golden tabby with feathered ears and a feathered, brown-tipped tail, rushed up to Brackenpelt as the two warriors bounded down to take their vigils. "That's such a great name!" she exclaimed, rubbing her muzzle against Brackenpelt's. He returned the gesture. "And, Fern, I think it was so brave of you to choose to stay as Fern. It's a beautiful name as well." Fern blinked warmly at her friend. "You're getting your name tomorrow," she purred. Lynxpaw flicked her tail happily. "I know. I hope I get a good name. Not something like Lynxear. That's weird." "He'd never give a beautiful cat like you a foolish name like that," Brackenpelt added. Lynxpaw looked away shyly. Fern and Brackenpelt took their places by the camp entrance. It's so peaceful out here, Fern thought. The next moon would change her life forever. Chapter Two Fern shook out her pelt. It was white with brown and silver patches. Her tail was brown and white banded, and her face was silver, her eyes sky-blue and round. "I'm so tired," Brackenpelt muttered, slumping to the ground. Fern felt her own legs begin to buckle, exhaustion sweeping over her. "You two look dead on your paws," commented Splashfoot, a brown tabby with a gray muzzle. "Keeping vigil is exhausting," Fennelpaw, Lynxpaw's brother, meowed. "Where's Flintpaw?" asked Cinderberry, the medicine cat. Just then, Patchwing exploded into camp. Blood streaked his face, and two red holes gaped in his neck. "What happened?" Alderclaw demanded. Fern jumped to her paws. Terror lent her energy and she rushed over to her father. "Were you attacked?" Perchstar asked, concern clouding his blue gaze."We were ambushed by rogues...Flintpaw is dead!" "Where?" "Treecut place," he gasped. Fern needed no more. Blundering through the thorns and trees like a badger, Fern came face-to-face with six muscular rogues. One, the biggest, a black tom with white toes, stepped forward. "Get out of here, fish-eater," he snarled. "This is our territory now!" With those words, he sprang at her, claws outstretched. Remembering all of her training in a quick moment, Fern dodged aside and caught a blow over his ear. As he shook his head, she leaped on his back and slashed deep into his shoulder, feeling the veins split beneath her claws and muscle being lacerated. The tom screeched in agony, hooking her with a paw and flinging her to the ground. Fern grunted as the breath was driven from her. Teeth met in her shoulder and pressed her to the ground. Pain flooded Fern's neck and shoulder as the tom bit down harder. Hissing with rage, she sank her teeth into his leg and thrashed at his belly with her hind claws. Suddenly his weight disappeared. Fern scrabbled to her paws, only to fall down as her shoulder pain forced her to stay still. Lynxpaw clung to the rogue's back, biting into the wound that Fern had already made. Fennelpaw lashed out at the tom's hind legs, while their other sister, Thistlepaw, rained blows on his head. Fern joined them, ignoring her shoulder wound and raking his muzzle with her claws before slicing his ear. She jumped back as a paw swiped at her. "Retreat!" cried the big rogue, shaking off the apprentices and jumping over the fence. The other cats followed him. One lagged behind the others, but when Honeyfoot hissed at him, he scampered away quickly. "Where's Flintpaw?" Lynxpaw whimpered, rubbing at her torn ear. Thistlepaw licked at a jagged wound on her flank. Teeth marks lacerated the fur on Fennelpaw's cream-and-black spine, and blood splashed his scruff from a nasty bite. Petalfoot, who had joined the fight with Honeyfoot, Dustwillow, Reedshine, and Mallowtail, picked up a limp apprentice in her jaws. Fern stared, sadness pricking her paws. It was Flintpaw. Blood stained the gash around his throat which had claimed his life. It looked like the gray apprentice had been taken to StarClan swiftly. But she knew that Lynxpaw, Thistlepaw, and Fennelpaw wouldn't realize that. Lynxpaw flung herself down by her brother. "We were supposed to become warriors tomorrow!" wailed Fennelpaw. Thistlepaw backed away. She began to tremble, and grief clouded her ice-blue gaze. Fern stepped forward and let the shorter she-cat lean against her as they padded back to camp. "Flintpaw!" gasped his mother, Leopardheart. "No!" "It's true, then?" asked Leopardheart's mate, Troutclaw, Flintpaw's father. "He was killed by the rogues?" Fern nodded. "It seems that they were out for blood," she meowed softly. "Were you hurt badly?" Alderclaw asked. Fern glanced at her shoulder wound. The blood had slowed to a trickle, but mud from the ground clotted the fur around it. "You'd better get it seen before it gets infected," Alderclaw warned. Fern shook her head. "Fennelpaw should be seen first. He was pretty bloody, too. And Dustwillow. I think she wrenched her shoulder." "Well, you should be seen anyways." Fern didn't protest, only went to the medicine den. Fennelpaw was laying in one of the dens, cobweb plastered on his neck, spine, and flank. Lynxpaw was being examined. Her ear hadn't stopped oozing blood, and a deep gash in her flank looked painful. Fern padded forward and touched noses with Lynxpaw. "You fought like a warrior," she murmured. "So did Flintpaw, but now he's dead," Lynxpaw whispered. "Flintpaw died a brave and noble death, defending the Clan against rogues. He will always be remembered. He is safe in StarClan. And now you and your littermates will grow stronger. Grief brings strength, remember. And I know, when your time comes, you'll be the strongest cat in all of the Clans." Lynxpaw relaxed. Her eyes were still shadowed with pain, but her shivering stopped. "Let me have a look at your shoulder, Fern," Cinderberry meowed. The gray she-cat sniffed her wound. "It's a nasty bite. Willowpaw, what should we use?" The smoky-gray, almost black tabby apprentice narrowed her blue eyes. "Marigold to stop infection, and cobweb for the bleeding." "Very good," praised Cinderberry. Willowpaw briefly brushed her tail against her mentor's side before she stared at her paws. She was the only kit of Leopardheart and Troutclaw's second litter, and she grieved for Flintpaw as well. Fern tried not to wince as the juices sank into her wound, even thought they stung. Willowpaw's gaze swept over her pelt. "I don't see any bad wounds," she told Fern. "Come back later if your shoulder shows signs of infection." "Thanks," she meowed, and padded out of the den. She spotted Thistlepaw tearing at the ground with her claws, her fur bristling. She walked over to her and touched her shoulder with her nose. The white apprentice looked up. Her light blue eyes were bright with distress. "I'm sorry that Flintpaw died," Fern meowed softly. Thistlepaw flattened her ears. "We were supposed to become warriors today!" she wailed. "Flintpaw was taking his assessment! But now he'll never be a warrior!" "Perhaps he will gain a warrior name in StarClan," Fern suggested. Thistlepaw froze. "You think?" "Of course! He died defending his Clan and his mentor." Thistlepaw lifted her chin. "You're right," she meowed. "Flintpaw deserves a warrior name, even if he didn't survive to be given one by his Clan leader." Her tail twitched and she stood more upright. "Thanks, Fern." Nudging the white apprentice's shoulder warmly, Fern let out a gentle purr. "And I believe that you and your littermates should be getting yours soon." As if her words had called it up, Perchstar leapt onto the High Rock, his gray belly fur brushing the rock. "All cats old enough to swim, join me at High Rock!" he yowled. RiverClan cats swarmed around the rock. Fern sat between Brackenpelt and Poolpaw. The two toms shifted to give her room. "Three brave apprentices have earned their warrior names today. I wish I could name Flintpaw as well, but he is resting in StarClan now." Beckoning the three littermates forward, he rested his chin on Lynxpaw's head. "This apprentice will be known as Lynxheart. StarClan honors your courage and bravery, as does RiverClan." She licked his shoulder. Brackenpelt cheered her name along with the rest of RiverClan. "Lynxfrost! Fern hardly heard when Fennelpaw and Thistlepaw became Fennelbreeze and Thistlecreek, but she remembered to cheer them on. "It's a beautifurl name," Fern told the new warrior. Lynxfrost pressed her muzzle to Fern's before she turned to Brackenpelt. The golden-brown warrior brushed his pelt against Lynxfrost's, purring loud enough to wake every cat in every Clan. Fern turned to meet Fennelbreeze. The black-and-cream tom was brushing past the crowd of cats, his yellow eyes narrowed. "Congratulations," Fern told him. Fennelbreeze turned to look at her. "My brother should have been here," he hissed. "But those mangy rogues killed him. The warrior code says you shouldn't kill cats to win your own battles. I won't be. I'll be winning Flintpaw's battle." Fern stared after him, confused. What was he talking about? Oh well. He's out of his mind with grief. He'll be fine. That was the complete opposite of what was wrong with Fennelbreeze. Chapter Three "Leopardheart, I'd like you to lead a patrol with Honeyfoot, Splashbriar, Thistlecreek, and Lynxfrost. Check to make sure those rogues have left." Fern stepped out of the warriors' den as she heard the Clan deputy, Rockfoot, sending out cats. Fennelbreeze rose to his paws. "Why can't I come?" "You're still recovering from your wounds," Cinderberry told him. The massive tom waved his tail dismissively. "So is Honeyfoot. But she's going." "Your wounds are much worse." "Nonsense," Fennelbreeze snapped. "I can manage." Cinderberry bristled. Cats didn't often talk back to her. Mossfeather, the Clan deputy, fixed Fennelbreeze with a stern blue gaze. "When your medicine cat tells you that you need to rest, you obey. Understood?" Fennelbreeze